The Problem With Boxing: How Does William Joppy get a Pass from the WBA to Fight Beibut Shumenov for his Title?
(CEO/Publisher Note: I received this press release and find it a total joke that William Joppy, 39-6-2, 30 KO’s is getting a title shot against Beibut Shumenov, 10-1, 6 KO’s. Joppy, a fighter who in his last fight, faced journeyman Corey Cummings, 17-4-1, 13 KO’s to a draw. Before this fight, Joppy lost a decision to Sebastien Demers, 31-4, 11 KO’s and before that fight, he hadn’t fought in 13 months when at that time, he lost a bid for Lucian Bute’s, 27-0, 22 KO’s IBF Super Middleweight Title. Bute stopped Joppy in the 10th round. So the WBA gave him a pass to face the champion since Shumenov’s previous opponent pulled out of the fight at the last minute. Here are the top 15 rankings for the WBA….. RSR readers do you see the name William Joppy anywhere? Stuff like this is killing a sport that I have loved now for the last 36 years!)
Champion: Beibut Shumenov
1. Gabriel Campillo
2. Zsolt Erdei
3. Vyacheslav Uzelkov
4. Dawid Kostecki
5. Joe Spina
6. Gayrat Ahmedov
7. Chris Henry
8. Dmitry Sukhotsky
9. Hugo Hernan Garay
10. Otis Griffin
11. Joel Casey
12. Tommy Karpency
13. Thierry Karl
14. Sullivan Barrera
15. Aleksy Kuziemski
Press Release
Despite the unannounced departure from Kazakhstan of WBO champion Juergen Braehmer, WBA/IBA Light Heavyweight Champion Beibut Shumenov decided not to allow the devastating news derail his homecoming as a World Champion when he defends his titles Saturday night against 3-time world champion William Joppy in the 12-round main event at the Ice Mansion in Shymkent, Kazakhstan.
Failing to notify the promoters and his refusal to be examined by the federation doctor in Shymkent, Braehmer returned home to Germany on Tuesday claiming a case of diarrhea prevented him from facing Shumenov in a Unification bout.
Shumenov (10-1, 6 KOs) will now put his titles on the line against 3-time world middleweight champion William Joppy (39-6-2, 30 KOs), who was in Kazakhstan and scheduled to fight Saturday evening against WBA No. 6 and Interim PABA light heavyweight champion Gayrat Ahmedov (15-0-1, 10 KOs).
“I trained too hard for Braehmer and will not disappoint my fans and many dignitaries, including the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, attending this sold-out show,” Shumenov explained. “I’m putting Braehmer in the rear view mirror and intend to get right back on track defending my titles against Joppy, who I applaud for accepting this fight, and focus on collecting the other world light heavyweight titles.”
“The Unification” is being presented by Goossen Tutor Promotions and KZ Event Productions. Shumenov owns and operates the Las Vegas-based KZ Event Productions along with his brother, Chingis, and is promoted by Goossen Tutor Promotions.
Also fighting on Saturday night’s card are three boxers fighting under the KZ Event Productions banner: WBA No. 13 welterweight Ravshan Hudaynazarov (13-0, 11 KOs) vs. former Mexican welterweight champion Jose Luis “Chelin” Cruz (41-7-2, 33 KOs), WBA FEDALATIN Welterweight Championship; former Kazakhstan National amateur champion Alexandr Zhyuravskiy (9-0, 7 KOs) vs. Ruben “Modern Day Warrior” Galvan (27-14-4, 10 KOs), WBA International Championship; and Ahmedov (15-0-1, 10 KOs), vs. Dzhizak Abdullakimov (13-4, 3 KOs), Interim PABA and WBA International Championships.